Greenland

Located to the northeast of Canada, Greenland lies mostly within the Arctic Circle, extending to within less than 500 miles (800 km) of the North Pole. It is bordered on the north by the Lincoln Sea and the Arctic Ocean, and on the east and south by the G
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eenland Sea, the Denmark Strait, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Its climate is bleak and Arctic, although rapid changes like bright sunshine and powerful blizzards are common. Average January and July temperatures in the south are 21°F (-6°C) and 45°F (7°C). In the north, average January and July temperatures are -31°F (-35°C) and 39°F (4°C). Average monthly precipitation decreases from 9 inches (24 cm) in the south to about half an inch (1.5 cm) in the north. Although summer rainfall is concentrated in the southwest, snow can fall in any month. Summers can be rather pleasant on the southwest coast, but the inland ice is uniformly cold, with a July average of 10°F (-12°C) and a February mean of -53°F (-47°C).

Health Precautions========================General CautionsRecent medical and dental exams should ensure that the traveler is in good health. Carry appropriate health and accident insurance documents and copies of any important medical records. Bring an adequate supply of all prescription and other medications as well as any necessary personal hygiene items, including a spare pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.

Denmark, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands US Consular Information SheetAugust 15, 2006 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Denmark is a highly developed stable democracy with a modern economy. Greenland is a self-governing dependency of Denmark. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Denmark for additional information.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport and visa regulations are similar for Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroes. A valid passport is required. U.S. citizen tourist and business travelers do not need visas for visits of up to 90 days. That period begins when entering any of the following countries which are parties to the Schengen agreement: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on Denmark and other countries. Contact the Royal Danish Embassy at 3200 Whitehaven Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 234-4300 or visit its website at for the most current visa information.

Note: Although European Union regulations require that non-EU visitors obtain a stamp in their passports upon initial entry to a Schengen country, many borders are not staffed with officers carrying out this function. If an American citizen wishes to ensure that his or her entry is properly documented, it may be necessary to request a stamp at an official point of entry. Under local law, travelers without a stamp in their passports may be questioned and asked to document the length of their stay in Schengen countries at the time of departure or at any other point during their visit, and could face possible fines or other repercussions if unable to do so.

Find more information about Entry and Exit Requirements pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction . SAFETY AND SECURITY: Denmark remains largely free of terrorist incidents, however the country shares, with the rest of Western Europe, an increased threat of Islamic terrorism. Like other countries in the Schengen area, Denmark's open borders with its Western European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering and exiting the country with anonymity. Americans are reminded to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.

Public demonstrations occasionally occur in Copenhagen and other Danish cities and are generally peaceful events. Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations, and police oversight is routinely provided to ensure adequate security for participants and passers-by. Nonetheless, as with any large crowd comprised of diverse groups, situations may develop which could pose a threat to public safety. U.S. citizens are advised to avoid areas where public demonstrations are taking place. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State's web site , where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement , Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad . CRIME: Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroes all have very low violent crime rates, however, non-violent crimes of opportunity have slightly increased over the last few years, especially in Copenhagen and other major Danish cities, where tourists can become targets for pickpockets and sophisticated thieves. Criminals frequent airports, train stations, and cruise ship quays to take advantage of weary, luggage-burdened travelers. Thieves also operate at popular tourist attractions, shopping streets, and restaurants. In hotel lobbies and breakfast areas, thieves take advantage of even a brief lapse in attention to snatch jackets, purses, and backpacks. Women's purses placed either on the backs of chairs or on the floor are typical targets for thieves. Car and home break-ins are also on the rise.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends, and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Denmark has a program to provide financial compensation to victims who suffer serious criminal injuries. According to existing regulations, the victim must report the incident to the police within 24 hours. Danish police routinely inform victims of serious crime of their rights to seek compensation. The relevant forms can be obtained from the police or the Danish Victims' Compensation Board: Civilstyrelsen, Erstatningsnaevnet, Gyldenløvesgade 11, 1600 Copenhagen V, TEL: (45) 33-92- 3334; FAX: (45) 39-20-45-05; www.erstatningsnaevnet.dk ; Email: erstatningsnaevnet@erstatningsnaevnet.dk . Claim processing time is a minimum of 4 weeks. There is no maximum award limit.

See our information for Victims of Crime .MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Excellent medical facilities are widely available in Denmark. In Greenland and the Faroe Islands, medical facilities are limited and evacuation is required for serious illness or injury. Although emergency medical treatment is free of charge, the patient is charged for follow-up care.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's website at . For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int.en. Further health information for travelers is available at .

MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas .

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Denmark is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

A valid U.S. driver's license may be used while visiting Denmark, but the driver must be at least 18 years old. Driving in Denmark is on the right side of the road. Road signs use standard international symbols. Many urban streets have traffic lanes reserved for public transport only. Unless otherwise noted on traffic signs, the speed limit is 50 km/h in urban areas, 80 km/h on open roads, and 130 km/h on expressways.

Use of seat belts is mandatory for drivers and all passengers. Children under three years of age must be secured with approved safety equipment appropriate to the child's age, size, and weight. Children from three to six years of age may use approved child or booster seats instead of seat belts.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is considered a very serious offense. The rules are stringently enforced, and violations can result in stiff fines and possible jail sentences.

Copenhagen, the capital and largest city in Denmark, has an extensive and efficient public transportation system. Trains and buses connect Copenhagen with other major cities in Denmark and to Norway, Sweden, and Germany. Bicycles are also a common mode of transportation in Denmark. Passengers exiting public or tourist buses, as well as tourists driving rental cars, should watch for bicycles on their designated paths, which are usually located between the pedestrian sidewalks and the traffic lanes.

Danish expressways, highways, and secondary roads are of high quality and connect all areas of the country. It is possible to drive from the northern tip of Denmark to the German border in the south in just four hours. Greenland has no established road system, and domestic travel is performed by foot, boat, or by air. The majority of the Faroe Islands are connected by bridges or serviced by boat. Although the largest islands have roads, most domestic travel is done on foot, horseback, boat, or by air.

The emergency telephone number for police/fire/ambulance in Denmark and the Faroe Islands is 112. In Greenland contact the local police.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of the country's national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at . See also additional information on driving in Denmark at .

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Denmark's Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Denmark's air carrier operations. This rating applies to Greenland and the Faroe Islands as well. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's Internet website at www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa .

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The official unit of currency in Denmark is the Danish krone. ATM machines are widely available throughout Denmark. Please see our information on customs regulations .

For information concerning the importation of pets into Denmark, please visit the following website:.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protection available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Denmark's laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Denmark are severe and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties .

CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children's Issues website.

REGISTRATION/EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Denmark are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website , and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Denmark. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24; 2100 Copenhagen, telephone: (45) 33-41-71-00; Embassy fax: (45) 35-43-02-23; Consular Section fax: (45) 35-38-96-16; After-hours emergency telephone: (45) 35-55-92-70. Information is also available via the U.S. Embassy's website at http://www.usembassy.dk. The United States has no consular presence in Greenland or the Faroe Islands.* * *This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated February 10, 2006, to update the section on Entry Requirements and Traffic Safety and Road Conditions.

Kulusuk, Denmark, Oct 17, 2019 (AFP) - Kayaking past blue-white icebergs drifting along near a pristine harbour, wandering around colourful houses or trekking in the snow-capped wilderness: July and August are high season for tourists in eastern Greenland. Many of the 85,000 tourists who visit each year head to the west coast, but eastern Greenland, with its glaciers, wilderness and wildlife starring whales and polar bears, is also drawing visitors.

Sarah Bovet, a 29-year-old Swiss artist, said it's hard to know what to expect. "Thinking you're going to be surprised, you are even more so in reality," she said standing outside a hostel in the tiny village of Kulusuk. Bovet was on an artistic residency in Greenland when she visited Kulusuk and its 250 souls. Although she had imagined a small village before arriving, its stunning views and bright colours still came as a surprise. With just one supermarket, an airport built in the 1950s by the US military to serve a Cold War radar base, and a harbour surrounded by brightly painted wooden houses, most of the villagers appreciate the extra revenue from tourism.

Justus Atuaq, a young hunter in Kulusuk, takes tourists out on sled tours in March and April -- the spring high season -- earning money that helps him feed and care for the dogs he uses for racing and hunting. "Now I can take dogsleds for hunting, and sometimes tourists coming from other countries also want to dogsled," he said outside his wooden house. Tourists also take boat trips during the summer high season from July to August. Arrivals to the island grew 10 percent year-on-year from 2014 to 2017, and three percent in 2018, according to the tourist board, Visit Greenland. Many adventure seekers and nature lovers arrive by plane, but cruise ships also bring admirers, hugging the picture perfect coastline.

- Growing strategic importance -But they are not alone in taking an interest in the world's largest island. The Danish territory's rich natural resources and growing strategic importance as the Arctic ice sheet melts have attracted the attention of US President Donald Trump. The Arctic region has untapped reserves of oil, gas and minerals, as well as abundant stocks of fish and shrimp. In August, Trump offered to buy Greenland, then called off a visit to Copenhagen over its refusal to sell.

Denmark colonised Greenland in the 1700s, granting it autonomy in 1979. Today, many Greenlandic political parties advocate full independence. The territory still receives an annual subsidy from Copenhagen, which was 4.3 billion Danish kroner (576 million euros) in 2017, and tourism could help it to become economically self-reliant. Like many parts of Greenland, Kulusuk has no tarmac roads and visitors must travel by plane or boat. The growth in tourism could put a strain on the village's infrastructure, and the sector faces unique challenges given Greenland's location, weather and the cost of travelling there.

Day tours of Kulusuk with flights from the Icelandic capital Reykjavik are 97,000 Icelandic kronur ($780, 700 euros). Jakob Ipsen, a 48-year-old who grew up between Denmark and Greenland's west coast, runs Kulusuk's sole hotel. The 32-room hotel stands beside a fjord, and from its dining room, guests can watch icebergs drift by during the summer. But the region's isolation can be problematic, Ipsen admits. "We have to get all our supplies in with the first ship for the whole summer season, and for the winter season when everything is frozen over, we have to get all our supplies in with the last ship for the whole winter," he said.

- 'They go back as different people' -Greenland must tackle its infrastructure challenges if it wants to develop tourism, Visit Greenland says. Government-funded work is under way to extend runways at the capital Nuuk and Ilulissat, both on the west coast, and a new airport is planned in the south. The tourist body said it would weigh the environmental impact of boosting infrastructure, both on the environment and on local communities. Ipsen worries about the effects of uncontrolled tourism to the region. "We want to try to maintain it as it is, so it's not exploding," he said.

Already, said Johanna Bjork Sveinbjornsdottir, who runs tours in Kulusuk for an Iceland-based company, the rise in visitor numbers is making itself felt. "In the campsites here out in nature where you used to be alone, there's two, three groups at a time," she said. Like Ipsen, she is also concerned about the effect that rising visitor numbers could have on the wilderness around the village. "If you want nature to survive that, you have to build up the infrastructure," she said, pointing to the lack of officially designated campsites around Kulusuk, with no rubbish bins or toilets for travellers outdoors and no one supervising the sites. Despite the concerns, Sveinbjornsdottir hopes visitors will keep coming. "They go back as different people," she said. "Everything is beyond what you ever imagined."

Authorities in Greenland seek tourists and investors with new airports
Tourism Greenland
- 2 years ago

Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:19:01 +0100

Copenhagen, Nov 16, 2018 (AFP) - Greenland's parliament has adopted a plan to upgrade or build airports to serve the massive North Atlantic island, keen to attract more tourists to its pristine Arctic wilderness. Two airports -- in the capital Nuuk and in the tourism centre Ilulissat -- will be substantially upgraded, making it possible to fly directly to Greenland from Europe and North America.

A new national airport will be built in Qaqortoq in the south. Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory. The plans have been controversial because of Copenhagen's direct financial involvement. The project is estimated to cost at least 3.6 billion kroner (482 millions euros, $546 million). Almost 20 percent of the financing will be provided by Denmark, which contributes 3.6 billion kroner to the island's annual budget. Parliament adopted the proposal late Thursday with 18 out of 29 votes.

In September, the project plunged Greenland into a three-week political crisis, with an independent supporting party quitting the government coalition in protest against Denmark's involvement. The social democratic Siumut party, which has dominated Greenland politics for four decades, was ultimately able to cling to power with a new, narrower majority. "We are creating lots of opportunities for Greenland's future. We are not selling out," Prime Minister Kim Kielsen insisted in parliament's debate, local television KNR reported. The three airports will serve the main population centres of the island, which is home to 55,000 people spread out across an area more than four times the size of France.

Smaller communities have meanwhile complained they will remain isolated. In addition, "other risks have also been raised, like the reaffirmed presence of the US military, which not everyone sees as a positive thing, and the environmental risks brought on by better international connections," Mikaa Mered, a professor of Arctic geopolitics at the ILERI School of International Relations in Paris, told AFP.

Since 2009, Greenland has been largely independent when it comes to its economic policy but foreign and defense issues remain under Copenhagen's control. "The big winner in this affair is Copenhagen. Both on the political, economic and geopolitical levels, Copenhagen is strengthening its positions across the board, vis-a-vis China and the triangular alliance with Washington," Mered said, referring to Beijig's eagerness to invest in the Arctic which has raised concern in the US. Construction of the airports is scheduled to be completed by 2023.

Stockholm, July 13, 2018 (AFP) - A massive iceberg drifting near the coast of Greenland has triggered fears of flooding if it breaks up, leading the authorities to evacuate a high-risk zone. The authorities have urged residents of the Innarsuit island settlement with houses on a promontory to move away from the shore over fears that the iceberg, which was spotted on Thursday, could swamp the area. "We fear the iceberg could calve and send a flood towards the village," Lina Davidsen, a security chief at the Greenland police, told Danish news agency Ritzau on Friday.

The settlement in northwestern Greenland has 169 inhabitants, but only those living closest to the iceberg have been evacuated, Ritzau reported. "The iceberg is still near the village and the police are now discussing what do to next," Kunuk Frediksen, a police chief in the Danish autonomous territory, told AFP. The incident comes weeks after scientists at New York University shot and released a video of a massive iceberg breaking free from a glacier in eastern Greenland in June. Last year, four people died and 11 were injured after an earthquake sparked a tsunami off another island settlement called Nuugaatsiaq, sending several houses crashing into the sea.

Stockholm, Aug 14, 2017 (AFP) - Police in Greenland warned people to stay away from western areas of the island as wildfires scorched swathes of scrubland. In a statement, the police said it "still discourages all traffic -- including hiking and hunting -- in two areas around Nassuttooq and Amitsorsuaq." "The fires are not expected to end within the next few days," the statement added. Some of the blazes have been burning since July 31.

Denmark's meteorological service BMI said the island registered its hottest-ever temperature of 24.8 degrees (77 Fahrenheit) on August 10. Last year was Greenland's hottest on record. The Danish territory has lost about 4,000 gigatons of ice since 1995, British researchers said in June, making ice melt on the huge island the biggest single contributor to rising sea levels.

Stockholm, June 18, 2017 (AFP) - Four people were listed as missing Sunday after an earthquake sparked a tsunami off Greenland and forced some residents to be evacuated. "Four people are missing," local broadcaster KNR quoted local police chief Bjorn Tegner Bay as telling a news conference in the autonomous Danish territory. There were no confirmed fatalities, but Bay said 11 houses had been swept away after a magnitude 4 overnight quake off Uummannaq, a small island well above the Arctic Circle. "The huge waves risk breaking over Upernavik and its environs. The residents of Nuugaatsiaq are going to be evacuated," police said on Facebook, referring to nearby hamlets.

Some residents posted images to social media showing huge waves breaking over buildings in the town. "A good explanation is that the quake created a fault at the origin of a tsunami," meteorologist Trine Dahl Jensen told Danish news agency Ritzau, warning of potential aftershocks. "It's not normal, such a large quake in Greenland," she said. KNR quoted Ole Dorph, mayor of Qaasuisup, a municipality in the area affected, as lamenting "a serious and tragic natural catastrophe which has affected the whole region." Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen tweeted news of what he termed a "terrible natural catastrophe at Nuugaatsiaq." The world's largest island situated between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, Greenland, population 55,000, has an ice sheet particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Christmas Island

Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 17:41:31 +0200 (METDST) SYDNEY, Sept 19, 2006 (AFP) - A large earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.1 struck Tuesday near the Australian territory of Christmas Island, the US Geological Survey said. The quake struck at 20:58 local time (1358 GMT) and its epicentre was located 191 kilometres (119 miles) east-northeast of Christmas Island, the USGS report said. The reading was based on the open-ended Moment Magnitude scale, now used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released.

27 Aug 2001 A NORWEGIAN ship carrying 438 sick and starving refugees was moored in limbo off Christmas Island last night, with John Howard refusing to allow them to disembark and Indonesia reluctant to let them berth anywhere in its territory. http://email.ni.com.au/Click?q=96-pjPWQtdfI9qzkLcbUQgkSoeR

Central African Republic

Central African Republic US Consular Information SheetApril 01, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:The Central African Republic is one of the world’s least developed nations and has experienced several periods of political instability since inde
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endence from France in 1960.Despite an on-going peace process and the presence of a democratically-elected government in the capital, Bangui, rebels still control large portions of the northern provinces in the country, and highway bandits prey on civilians and travelers in much of western CAR. In the country’s Dzanga-Sangha National Park in the southwest, facilities for tourists are being developed but remain limited. Read the Department of State Background Notes on the CAR at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm for additional information. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:A valid passport, visa, and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required for entry. Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Central African Republic, 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone: (202) 483 – 7800/7801, fax: (202) 332 – 9893. Overseas, inquiries should be made to the nearest Central African Republic Embassy or Consulate. NOTE: In any country where there is no Central African Republic diplomatic mission, the French Embassy has authorization to issue a visa for entry into the Central African Republic.Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site.For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet. SAFETY AND SECURITY: See the Department of State’s Travel Warning for the CAR.For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad. CRIME:Crime remains a significant problem in the capital, Bangui, though it has decreased notably in recent years. Americans should exercise caution while traveling around the city and immediate environs. Petty theft remains a problem in large market areas, particularly in the crowded markets near KM 5 on the outskirts of the city. Armed gangs may operate in outlying residential areas. During previous periods of civil unrest and civil conflict, including most recently in 2002 and 2003, foreign mercenaries and citizens engaged in widespread looting and damaged much of the city’s infrastructure. In the northern and western parts of the country, there are consistent reports of armed robbery and kidnapping by highway bandits (called “coupeurs de routes” or “zaraguinas”), especially during the December to May dry season. When a crime does occur in Bangui, the victim may have to pay to send a vehicle to pick up police officers due to the shortage of police vehicles and fuel.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred.Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.See our information on Victims of Crime. MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:Medical facilities are extremely limited in the CAR, and the quality of acute care is unreliable. Sanitation levels are low. Many medicines are not available; travelers should carry properly labeled prescription drugs and other medications with them.Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en.Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en. MEDICAL INSURANCE:The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.The information below concerning CAR is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.In Bangui, road conditions vary, and many roads have large holes and degraded points that prevent the normal flow of traffic. Only a small portion of the roads in the country, including in the capital, are paved, and many of the compacted dirt roads have been degraded. Drivers tend to prefer to drive on the smoothest portion of the road and ignore basic traffic laws, thus slowing the flow of traffic and increasing the risk of collision. The city of Bangui does have a public transportation system consisting of green buses and yellow taxis, though these vehicles are often dangerously overcrowded and very badly maintained.Due to the risk of armed attacks on motorists in the northern and western regions of the country, overland travel in these areas should be avoided.Any driving outside the capital should be only during daylight hours.Most remote areas in the CAR that are frequented by tourists are accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles, although some roads are not passable at all during the rainy season, from May to October.Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in the Central African Republic, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the CAR’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Taking photographs of police or military installations, or any other government buildings, is prohibited. Unauthorized photography may result in the seizure of photographic equipment by CAR authorities. Police or other government authorities can provide information and grant permission for photographing a particular subject or location.Corruption remains a serious problem among CAR security forces, some members of which have harassed travelers for bribes and small amounts of money. At night, the roads in the capital are often manned with impromptu checkpoints, at which police or other military members ask motorists and travelers for money.Banking infrastructure remains limited in the CAR, and facilities for monetary exchange exist only in the capital. There are no ATMs in the CAR, and exchange bureaus normally accept dollars and euros but not West African Francs (CFA).

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.Persons violating Central African laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the CAR are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: The U.S. Embassy in Bangui resumed operations in January 2005, following the evacuation of all American staff in 2002 during the civil conflict and looting in Bangui in 2002. The Embassy’s American presence increased in 2006, and a new American Ambassador to the CAR presented his credentials to President Bozize in 2007. Nonetheless, the Embassy continues to operate with limited staffing, and can only provide basic services to American citizens in the CAR.

Americans living or traveling in the CAR are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within the CAR. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.The U.S. Embassy is located on Avenue David Dacko, B.P. 924, Bangui, tel: 2161-0200; fax: 2161-4494.*

*

*This replaces the Country Specific Information for Cameroon dated December 21, 2007, to update sections on Traffic Safety and Road Conditions, and Special Circumstances.

Libreville, April 11, 2020 (AFP) - Desperately needed aid for millions of people across sub-Saharan Africa is under threat as the deadly coronavirus pandemic sweeps a continent already facing a volley of crises. In some cases social distancing measures and border closures are preventing workers from distributing aid. In others, funding is under threat as agencies scramble to pool resources to fight the fast-ballooning COVID-19 outbreak on the continent.

Cameroon's polio vaccination campaign has been suspended, while in Chad a measles vaccination rogramme has been postponed. In Niger and Burkina Faso, where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by jihadist violence, flights bringing in humanitarian aid have been put on hold.

In the Central African Republic, where most of the territory is under the sway of armed groups, supplies of chlorine, needed to provide safe drinking water, are running low. "Some programmes have slowed down or been temporarily suspended, but most humanitarian operations are continuing," said Julie Belanger, head of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for West and Central Africa. "We are focusing on activities that are vital for survival, but we are also adapting our way of working," Belanger told AFP.

The United Nations says about 76 million people in sub-Saharan Africa need aid to survive and protect their health. The coronavirus pandemic could further threaten populations on the continent, which so far has at least 12,700 recorded cases and more than 650 deaths, according to an AFP tally Friday.

Organisations are quickly learning to change how they work to prevent the virus from spreading further. In Niger, for instance, food handouts are being distributed in small groups in order to keep social distancing, said Jean-Noel Gentile with the UN's World Food Programme. "To reduce the frequency of food distribution, we are handing out two or three months of rations each time," he said.

- 'Humanitarian corridors' -One fear that NGOs and governments have is that aid workers travelling to isolated areas could bring the coronavirus with them. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the first case of the virus registered in Goma was that of a Nigerian aid worker.

Masks, gloves and protective clothing are required by some organisations -- but the crucial gear is hard to find in many countries. "This is already difficult enough in France -- you can imagine how it is in the furthest reaches of the Central African Republic," said Isabelle Robin of the French charity Action Against Hunger (ACF). The closure of borders and restrictions on movement inside countries are additional obstacles to delivering aid. As a result, NGOs everywhere are attempting to negotiate with authorities in Africa to allow "humanitarian corridors" or exemptions for their personnel.

- Money worry -But of all the problems for humanitarian work right now, "the biggest is financial", said a UNICEF official in the DRC, pointing to the fact that donor attention lies elsewhere at the moment. The United Nations has launched a $2 billion (1.83 billion euro) "global humanitarian response plan" on coronavirus, much of it earmarked for Africa.

Though Africa has not been hit as badly as most of the rest of the world, the pandemic is a growing threat, given the continent's weak healthcare systems, entrenched poverty, poor sanitation and crowded slums. There are concerns that funds received to deal with problems existing before the outset of the pandemic may now have to be rerouted. That could be a harmful approach. "It's important that we don't forget other needs," said Maaike Hersevoort, head of the Doctors Without Borders mission in the Central African Republic, pointing to an outbreak of measles there.

- 'Extreme distress' -In western and central Africa, the number of people needing aid has increased -- even before the coronavirus hit the continent. There are 44 million people in need this year, six million more than in 2019, according to UN projections. In the Sahel region, food insecurity levels are rising and there are fears for the next harvest following a poor rainy season. "We are especially concerned for the children, who become more vulnerable to illness when they are malnourished," said Robin from ACF.

More generally, wellbeing in Africa could be hit by tough measures to stem the spread of COVID-19 -- lockdowns mean that millions of people are unable to work, and thus likelier to sink further into poverty. "We must not lose sight of the mid- and long-term impact of this crisis," said Bruce Biber of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Central African Republic "People have already been under great pressure for years, so it takes very little to push them into a state of extreme distress."

Bangui, Central African Republic, March 27, 2020 (AFP) - The Central African Republic, a poverty-stricken state that the UN has singled out as highly vulnerable to coronavirus, has stepped up measures over fears that the disease is spreading locally. President Faustin-Archange Touadera, in a statement received by AFP on Friday, said that after four cases of infection ad been detected, all among people coming from abroad, a fifth had now surfaced.

In this light, "there are grounds for fearing local transmission" of coronavirus, he said. New measures unveiled by the authorities include a two-week ban on people coming in from countries where the virus is being transmitted locally, except for diplomats and NGO workers.

Schools, childcare facilities and universities are being closed, and restrictions have been placed on movement between the capital Bangui and the rest of the country. The United Nations on Wednesday said the CAR "is one of the least prepared countries to face a COVID-19 outbreak, with 2.2 million people already in need of health assistance and about 70 percent of health services provided by humanitarian organisations." The country has been ravaged by three civil wars in 20 years and remains prey to violence from armed groups that control two-thirds of the country.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has experienced an upsurge in measles cases as a result of outbreaks since 2019. The 1st case of measles was recorded in week 5 of 2019 (week commencing 28 Jan 2019) and the outbreak has continued through to week 7 of 2020 (week commencing 10 Feb 2020), with 18 health districts affected including 12 newly affected in 2020 (Bimbo, Begoua, Bangui I, Bangui II and Bangui III in the urban area, Bossembele, Bouar, Bozoum, Baboua-Abba, Haute-Kotto, Nangha-Boguila, and Ouango-Gambo in the rural area).

From 1 Jan 2019 through 16 Feb 2020, a total of 7626 suspected cases

including 83 deaths (case fatality rate 1.08%) were reported. A large proportion of cases (72%) were below 5 years old and 18% of cases were between 5 and 10 years old. A total of 1167 samples from suspected cases were tested at the reference laboratory of the Institut Pasteur in Bangui, of which 180 were positive for measles using Immunoglobulin M (IgM).

The low vaccination coverage for routine measles vaccine over the past 5 years (below 60% for the 1st dose at 9 months), the absence of a 2nd measles vaccine dose in the national immunization schedule, and inadequate follow-up campaigns resulted in a high proportion of people susceptible to measles, contributing to the ongoing epidemic. All 35 health districts are at risk of a measles outbreak, and without adequate response, the epidemic could spread through the entire country. The number of districts affected by the measles outbreak is increasing, and as of 1 Mar 2020, 15 health districts have been affected: Alindao, Alindao-Mingala, Baboua-Abba, Bambari, Bangui I, Bangui II, Bangui III, Begoua, Bimbo, Bococaranga-Koui, Bossembele, Bouar, Bozoum, Haute-Kotto, Nangha-Boguila, Ngaoundaye, and Ouango-Gambo.

In December 2019, outbreaks affected 8 health districts, and the country organized local measles vaccination campaigns that targeted children aged 6 -- 59 months in 7 districts (Bambari, Batangafo, Bocaranga-Koui, Grimari-Kouango, Kemo, Ngaoundaye, and Nana-Gribizi). Despite vaccination coverage of more than 95%, as confirmed by the vaccination coverage survey, new cases are being recorded in these districts and neighboring health districts in children aged from 5 -- 15 years old. Based on the age distribution of cases as indicated by epidemiological investigations, the proposed vaccination strategy is to target the risk group from 6 months -- 10 years to help stop transmission.

Public health response

----------------------

Since the official declaration of the outbreak by Ministry of Health on 24 Jan 2020, the following public health actions have been conducted:

- COUSP (Center for Emergency Operations in Public Health) and the Local Crisis Committee have been activated to coordinate the response.

- The Ministry of Health with support from WHO and other partners are developing a comprehensive response plan, which includes the vaccination campaigns.

- Epidemiological surveillance in the affected areas has been strengthened.

- Referral system of severe measles cases to the district health hospital has been set up with free care being offered to measles cases.

- Distribution of drugs and medical supplies to support provision of free medical care is ongoing.

- Isolation units have been established at the district hospital.

- The routine immunization program is being strengthened.

- Health promotion and risk communication activities are ongoing.

- Efforts are underway to mobilize resources to respond to the outbreak.

WHO risk assessment

-------------------

WHO estimates the overall risk for the CAR from the current measles outbreak to be "high" due to the following reasons:

- The geographic expansion of the epidemic into new health districts.

- The large number of districts with high risk for measles outbreaks, due to low vaccination coverage.

- An increase in the number of cases reported in 2019 compared to 2018.

- The security context of the country which limits access to set up rapid response measures in affected health districts.

- The lack of infrastructure, inputs and resources to ensure free health care.

- The lack of trained staff available for the clinical management of complications of measles.

- Suboptimal measles-containing-vaccine first-dose (MCV1) vaccination coverage of 49% for the past 5 years according to joint WHO / UNICEF estimates, and administrative coverage of 71% in 2019.

- Large population movements between vaccinated and unvaccinated localities.

- Risk at the regional level is assessed as moderate given the large cross border movements of populations to and from neighboring countries including Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon, both for security reasons and commercial activities.

Bangui, Central African Republic, Oct 29, 2019 (AFP) - The worst flooding in two decades in the Central African Republic has left at least 28,000 people homeless, the country's Red Cross said Tuesday, with the government calling the disaster a "huge natural catastrophe". Torrential rains have pounded the country for several days, causing the Oubangui River and its tributaries to overflow. "The latest toll is 28,000 people made homeless" across the former French colony, Central African Red Cross president Antoine Mbao-bogo told AFP, adding that entire neighbourhoods are "underwater".

In the capital Bangui, with a population of about one million, mud homes have literally dissolved in the floods. "Today our country, and not just the city of Bangui, faces a huge natural catastrophe," government spokesman Ange-Maxime Kazagui said in a television address late Monday. "The Oubangui River has burst its banks, and its tributaries can no longer flow into it, creating a phenomenon of massive overflow." The country's main river overflows about once a decade, with a 1999 disaster causing major destruction -- but Mbao-bogo said the current flooding is even worse. "Add to that the deep poverty of our compatriots," he said.

The country of some 4.7 million people, which faces brutal violence from armed groups despite a peace pact signed this year, is one of the world's poorest countries. With more than two-thirds of the country controlled by militias fighting the government or each other, about a quarter of the population have fled their homes. Kazagui said Bangui residents living on the banks of the Oubangui had been hit especially hard. "Drinking water is lacking. There are problems with latrines, mosquitos, cold and the risk of epidemics such as cholera," he said. "We don't have the infrastructure to shelter people, but we expect that NGOs will provide tents and shelters," Kazagui said.

On 19 Aug 2019, the Institut Pasteur of Bangui (IPB), Central Africa Republic, reported a confirmed case of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Bossembele health district, Boali sub-prefecture. The case-patient is a 45-year-old male farmer from Bogoin village who initially fell ill on 5 Aug 2019 and presented, on 8 Aug 2019, to the local health facility with fever, chills, headache, nausea, asthenia, myalgia, arthralgia and retro-ocular pain. As part of influenza surveillance, a blood specimen was collected on 9 Aug 2019 and transported to the IPB. Test results released on 19 Aug 2019 confirmed RVF infection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. As of 24 Aug 2019, the case-patient remained in admission in good clinical condition.

Outbreak investigations carried out by the rapid response team identified 7 additional suspected RVF cases from the same health district, 5 through records review in the local health facility and 2 by active case search in the affected community. A total of 12 blood specimens (5 from suspected cases and 7 from healthy control cases) were collected and are being analysed at the IPB; the test results are pending. The suspected cases, with ages ranging from 5 to 45 years, are being followed as outpatients.

Additionally, animal health investigations carried out in the affected community reportedly identified sick domestic animals (mainly cows and sheep), manifesting symptoms such as runny nose, cough and diarrhoea. A total of 21 blood specimens were collected from the sick animals (cows and small ruminants) and taken for laboratory analysis and the test results are pending.

Further epidemiological and entomological investigations are ongoing, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Public health actionsThe Ministry of Health is coordinating the response to the RVF outbreak through the emergency operations centre, with support from the health partners.

A multisectoral national rapid response team, comprising of both public and animal health specialists, and entomologists was deployed from 21-24 Aug 2019 to conduct in-depth outbreak investigation.

The epidemiological and laboratory surveillance have been enhanced, and healthcare workers have been oriented on the standard case definition for RVF to facilitate early case detection. Data collection and reporting tools have been distributed to the health facilities.

Case management is ongoing in the affected health district, with some suspected cases being managed as outpatients.

Risk communication activities using various channels are ongoing in the affected communities, however this needs to be enhanced.

Situation interpretation

Health authorities in Central African Republic have reported a new outbreak of RVF, the 1st time such an event has been formally reported in the country. Information on the circulation of RVF virus (RVFV) in Central African Republic is limited, partly due to gaps in the surveillance system, and specifically due to limited surveillance for RVF disease. Literature indicates that RVFV was 1st isolated in Central African Republic in 1969 from a pool of _Mansonia africana_ mosquitoes. However, a recent study in Central African Republic detected RVFV-specific antibodies in humans, and 15 strains [isolates] of RVFV were isolated from humans and sylvatic mosquitoes.

The current confirmation of RVF in the country should alert health authorities to strengthen surveillance for the disease and other zoonoses. Additionally, in-depth epidemiological and entomological investigations should be undertaken to properly understand the epidemiology of the disease and identify all potential vectors species in the country. The ongoing rainy season, running from May to October 2019, may result in increased [mosquito] vector density, constituting another risk factor for escalation of RVF.

======================

[It is interesting that this year (2019) it was a human case that signaled the presence of Rift Valley fever virus RVFV) in the country. The results of the subsequent field studies by the multidisciplinary rapid response team found additional human cases and evidence that the virus is being transmitted to livestock.

Finding evidence of RVF virus in the Central African Republic (CAR) is not surprising. Last year (2018), human and animal cases occurred in neighboring South Sudan (see Valley fever - South Sudan (09): (EL) human, animal, WHO http://promedmail.org/post/20180410.5735975). If focal geographic areas of transmission are identified in this CAR situation, increased surveillance of people and livestock should be initiated and livestock vaccination considered. RVF-infected livestock can pose a significant risk to humans in contact with them, often livestock owners and veterinarians. Abortions in livestock with a loss in productivity present an economic problem for many ethnic groups that depend on them for livelihoods. Apparently, this RVF outbreak did not result in an abortion storm that could have had serious economic, social and public health consequences. It is likely that RVF virus will persist in this area in transovarially infected eggs of _Aedes_ mosquito vectors. These eggs can remain viable for long periods of time and hatch when flooded during future rain events, with subsequent emergence of infected females ready to transmit the virus. This risk provides justification for maintaining livestock of the area well vaccinated into the future. - ProMED Mod.TY]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines US Consular Information SheetApril 02, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an English-speaking developing Caribbean island nation. Tourism facilities are widely available. Read the De
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artment of State Background Notes on St. Vincent and the Grenadines for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:For information concerning entry requirements, travelers can contact the Embassy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 3216 New Mexico Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016, telephone (202) 364-6730, or the consulate in New York.

All Americans traveling by air outside the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.This requirement will be extended to sea travel (except closed loop cruises), including ferry service, by the summer of 2009.Until then, U.S. citizens traveling by sea must have government-issued photo identification and a document showing their U.S. citizenship (for example, a birth certificate or certificate of nationalization), or other WHTI compliant document such as a passport card for entry or re-entry to the U.S.Sea travelers should also check with their cruise line and countries of destination for any foreign entry requirements.

Applications for the new U.S. Passport Card are now being accepted.It is expected that the cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008.The card may not be used to travel by air and is available only to U.S. citizens. Further information on the Passport Card is available at http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html and upcoming changes to U.S. passport policy can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.We strongly encourage all American citizen travelers to apply for a U.S. passport well in advance of anticipated travel.American citizens can visit travel.state.gov or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for their passports.

U.S. citizens should take special care to secure these documents while traveling, as it can be time-consuming and difficult to acquire new proof of citizenship to facilitate return travel should the original documents be lost or stolen.

U.S. citizens traveling to St. Vincent and the Grenadines must also present an onward or return ticket. Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site.For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME:Petty street crime occurs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From time to time, property has been stolen from yachts anchored in the Grenadines. Valuables left unattended on beaches are vulnerable to theft. Persons interested in nature walks or hikes in the northern areas of St. Vincent should arrange in advance with a local tour operator for a guide; these areas are isolated, and police presence is limited.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you in finding appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and can explain how funds can be transferred.Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

See our information on Victims of Crime.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:Medical facilities are limited.The main hospital is Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (Telephone (784) 456-1185). There is a hospital in the capital, Kingstown, but serious medical problems may require evacuation to another island or the United States. There is no hyperbaric chamber; divers requiring treatment for decompression illness must be evacuated from the island. The closest hyperbaric chamber is located in Barbados. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and the hospital often expect immediate cash payment for health services.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en.Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en MEDICAL INSURANCE:The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.The information below concerning St. Vincent and the Grenadines is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Vehicles travel on the left side of the road. Roads are narrow, and generally poorly paved, with steep inclines throughout the islands. Taxis and buses are relatively safe, but buses are often overcrowded. Vans are generally overcrowded and frequently travel at high rates of speed. Night driving is discouraged in mountainous areas because the roads are not well marked; there are few, if any, guardrails, and roads are steep and winding.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.For specific information concerning St. Vincent and the Grenadines driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Tourist Organization in New York at http://www.svgtourism.com/.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’s air carrier operations.For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s website at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:All Caribbean countries can be affected by hurricanes. The hurricane season normally runs from June to the end of November, but there have been hurricanes in December in recent years. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Information on hurricane preparedness abroad is provided in Hurricane Season: Know Before You Go.There is no U.S. Embassy or Consulate in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados is responsible for consular issues on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including American Citizens Services. U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their citizenship documents with them at all times so that if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and U.S. citizenship are readily available.Please see the State Department’s Customs Information.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.Persons violating St. Vincent and the Grenadines laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.Please see our information on Criminal Penalties. CHILDREN'S ISSUES:For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:Americans living or traveling in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown is located in the Wildey Business Park in suburban Wildey, south and east of downtown Bridgetown.The main number is (246) 431-0225; after hours, the Embassy duty officer can be reached by calling (246) 436-4950.The web site for Embassy Bridgetown is http://barbados.usembassy.gov/. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, except Barbados and U.S. holidays.*

*

*This replaces the Country Specific Information for St. Vincent and the Grenadines dated April 2, 2007, to update sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Safety and Security, and Medical Facilities and Health Information.

Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, March 8, 2016 (AFP) - Police on the Caribbean island of St Vincent say they are investigating the murder of a German tourist killed when masked gunmen attacked his yacht last week. No arrests have been made over the assault, which took place in Wallilabou Bay on the resort island's northwest coast, a popular tourist destination where scenes from the hit Hollywood movie franchise "Pirates of the Caribbean" were filmed. Martin Griff, 49, died from gunshot wounds to his neck, police say. The two attackers also wounded the boat's captain, Reinhold Zeller, a 63-year old German who was shot in the arm. He was treated in the hospital in the capital Kingstown. The assailants stole money and credit cards.

Griff was on vacation with his wife and two children, German media reported. Writing in a letter to St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Tuesday, the German Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Lutz Gorgens -- whose jurisdiction extends to St Vincent and other Caribbean islands -- described the incident as "tragic and gruesome," saying it was "difficult to bear for Germans as well as Vincentians." Gorgens said he hoped the police "bring to justice those responsible for this cruel crime." Gonsalves on Friday described the killing as a "terrible stain" on the Caribbean island -- part of the nation St Vincent and the Grenadines, located north of Venezuela -- that could cost it "millions of dollars because we sell peace, security, tranquillity."

On mainland St Vincent, 2 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus [infection] have been confirmed, as the total number of confirmed cases in the country has climbed to 39.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment said on Wed 7 May 2014 that there are 37 confirmed cases of the virus on the northern Grenadine island of Bequia, where an outbreak began in late April [2014].

The illness was first detected in the Caribbean in December 2013, in St Martin, and Antigua and St Vincent and the Grenadines have become the latest countries to declare an outbreak.

Luis de Shong, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment said on Wednesday that his ministry continues to implement vector control activities against the _Aedes aegypti_ mosquito, which causes [transmits] the chikungunya virus.

He said private sector and other key stakeholders such as the National Emergency management Organisation, the Roads, Bridges and General Services Authority, the Ministry of Tourism and the Central Waster and Sewerage Authority are all engaged in the multi-sectorial approach towards fighting this disease.

"The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment will continue active surveillance and island-wide intense vector control campaign. Additionally, several public outreach programmes have been held and more are scheduled throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines to sensitise Vincentians about the virus and the Ministry urges the participation of all individuals in fighting the _Aedes aegypti_ mosquito and the chikungunya virus," de Shong said.

The ministry said it was reiterating the importance of avoiding mosquito bites by implementing vector control measures at the individual and community levels, such as keeping water drums and tanks covered, getting rid of unused tires, keeping the general surroundings clean, the use of appropriate clothing to avoid mosquito bites, and the use of insect repellents.

As authorities scramble to stem the dengue outbreak in St Maarten, the number of confirmed cases continues to climb. The Dengue Action Response Team (DART) announced on Thursday [23 Oct 2008] that 90 laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue had been recorded 1-25 Oct [2008]. The results of 48 lab tests are pending, and DART said the figure was expected to surpass 100 this month [November 2008].

Meanwhile, St Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) has introduced a new laboratory system for dengue testing. The new system will enable Dutch-side health officials to obtain immediate results of laboratory tests carried out by SLS rather than having to send hem to Curasao or the lab on the French side, as was being done in the past.Sector Health Care Affairs (SHCA) Preventive Health Department head Dr Rachel Eersel met with family physicians on Tuesday evening [21 Oct 2008] to inform them about the latest strategies being implemented to fight dengue fever and to inform them about the new laboratory form. "The DART team is requesting every household to take immediate measures as the outbreak continues to (worsen). The only way to stop the dengue outbreak from growing is by every household taking mosquito-breeding preventive action. By taking measures, you are protecting your family from getting dengue fever," the Government Information Service said.

In the meantime, the Hygiene and Veterinary Department is continuing with its fogging campaign in the various districts, weather conditions permitting. The house-to-house/yard inspections are part of the public health response to dengue on the island and are part of an intensified community campaign to eradicate the mosquito that transmits dengue fever.

-------------------

[This report is from the Dutch side of St. Maarten/St. Martin Island. The Daily Herald <http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l142/dengue142.html> reported that authorities are continuing their efforts to stem the spread of dengue fever in St Maarten with intensified house-to-house inspection around the Island Territory. Inspections will focus on potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and inspectors are hoping to inspect some 15 000 households by the end of the campaign.

Date: Sat 4 Oct 2008 Source: The Daily Herald [edited] Health experts have concluded that collated information produced by local authorities and Institute Veille de Sanitaire (INVS) confirms St Martin is at the beginning of a fresh outbreak of dengue, that effectively began 10 days ago [23 Sep 2008] and urges preventative treatments be "rigorously" implemented. In a release issued by the Prefecture Thursday [2 Oct 2008], La Cellule Inter-Regionale d'Epidemiologie (CIRE) of Antilles-Guyana met with the Committee of Experts for Infectious Diseases in the Northern Islands on Wednesday [1 Oct 2008] to analyse the current situation. The release contained no statistics or figures, but went on to say "given the favourable climatic conditions for development of mosquitoes, preventative measures already known by the population must be implemented without delay and in a rigorous manner. It is at this early stage that preventative measures can be most effective." In accordance with this information, an intensive fogging campaign begins as of today [4 Oct 2008], Friday. It is advised to leave house doors and windows open when the truck passes for the chemical to be most effective. The dengue management committee is due to meet again on 16 Oct [2008] to assess the local situation. The Prefecture of St. Martin and St. Barths once again reminds the population of the action to be taken to prevent the spread of dengue [virus] which is transmitted by the _Aedes aegypti_ mosquito. Anti-mosquito sprays and creams should be used liberally. Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants in the evenings. Make sure mosquito screens are installed on windows and doors. Young children, babies, and elderly persons should sleep under mosquito netting. Throw out any stagnant water collecting in flower vases, or other receptacles, around the house or in the yard and make sure rain gutters are unblocked after heavy rainfall. Stagnant pools of water are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Cisterns must be covered with mosquito netting. It is also encouraged to breed Guppy fish, which feed on mosquito larvae. Check the septic tank is functioning properly. Currently there is no specific treatment or vaccine for dengue. ================= [Maps showing the location of the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin in the Caribbean can be accessed at and the Health Map/ProMED interactive map at . - ProMed Mod.TY]

Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2004 18:10:31 +0200 (METDST) PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad Sept 7 (AFP) - Hurricane Ivan Tuesday threatened several Caribbean islands, where residents were urged to rush preparations to safeguard their lives and properties. On Tuesday morning the center of the powerful hurricane, the second in just days, was located 75 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Trinidad's sister island of Tobago. The two islands, as well as St Vincent, the Grenadines and Grenada were placed under a hurricane warning. The Netherlands Antilles Tuesday morning also put the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao under a hurricane watch, which means the storm could hit them within 36 hours. "Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. It warned that with sustained winds of 185 kilometers (110 miles) per hour and higher gusts, Ivan was "a dangerous" hurricane and that it could strengthen further. On Tuesday morning, Bardados already reported wind gusts of 145 kilometers (90 miles) per hour and pounding rain flooded the streets of Port-of-Spain and roads on Tobago. Long-term forecasts, which have a wide margin of error, have the hurricane slamming into Jamaica on Friday and then into Cuba on Sunday. This would bring the storm dangerously close to Florida, which has just been pounded by Frances, the second hurricane to hit the southeastern US state in three weeks.

World Travel News Headlines

Nicosia, June 6, 2020 (AFP) - Cyprus opens back up for international tourism on Tuesday, with airports welcoming visitors after an almost three-month shutdown, and a bold plan to cover health care costs for visitors. But with arrivals expected to be down by 70 percent this year due to the chaos brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a leap of faith for the small Mediterranean holiday island. "Nobody here is expecting to make any money this year", Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios told AFP. "We are setting the stage for the beginning of our recovery in 2021."

The divided island's tourism sector normally accounts for around 15 percent of GDP but has dried up in past months amid global measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Cyprus saw a record 3.97 million arrivals in 2019, with more than half its market made up of British and Russian visitors. But even if the island's airports in Larnaca and Paphos will open up to arrivals on Tuesday with the first flight due to arrive from Athens around midday (0900GMT), neither Britain or Russia are among the 19 countries allowed to land there.

The list of permitted countries, which also include Bulgaria, Germany and Malta, have been chosen based on epidemiological data and split into two categories. Initially all travellers will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of travel, but from June 20, only those arriving from six countries in the second category, such as Poland and Romania, will need to do so. The government says the lists will be revised weekly and more countries can be added.

Cyprus will also cover accommodation, dining and medical care for any tourists who fall ill with the COVID-19 illness during their stay, as well as accommodation and meals for their families and close contacts. "What we offer and what we sell is not the sun and the sea, it's hospitality, and this is an extension of our hospitality," Perdios said. The government has designated a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital for tourists that Perdios said would be located in the Larnaca region, while 112 ICU units have been allocated for visitors. Perdios said several four-star hotels would provide 500 quarantine rooms for close contacts of those who fall ill.

- 'Right thing to do' -A raft of other health measures, including disinfection protocols and temperature checks at border controls, aim to protect travellers and locals alike. "We've gone to big lengths to think ahead of things that could go wrong and try to devise plan Bs and Cs", Perdios said. The Republic of Cyprus, in the south of the island, has registered 960 novel coronavirus cases and 17 deaths. Perdios expressed hope that British tourists could be welcomed "sometime after mid-July", with Russia "slightly later, maybe by a couple of weeks".

A recently announced deal with Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air to open a base in Cyprus from July was also an important step towards expanding and diversifying the island's tourist markets, he said. While no date has been set to allow international tourists to visit the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, only recognised by Ankara, the health care commitment would still apply to those visiting the north during their stay once the crossings are reopened. "I am very confident that not only will we be able to continue providing our citizens with protection, but also caring for everybody who comes to the island on holiday", he said. "If we are coming out with a scheme like this, it's because we can afford it, but most importantly, because we feel that it's the right thing to do."

Orlando, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Tourists donned masks Friday and visited the attractions at Universal Orlando, the first of the major theme parks in Florida to open since the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down almost three months ago. Universal Orlando resort and the other theme parks in this central Florida city closed on March 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. New back-to-fun rules at the park include temperature controls at the entrance, mandatory use of face masks, markers on the ground to help enforce social distancing and posters thanking the public for their help "during this unprecedented time."

Universal Orlando is only reopening at 35 percent capacity and has launched a system of virtual lines in which space can be reserved, to avoid queues and crowds. Terrence Wilson, 19, was happy with the result. "There's not a lot of people. I can get on all the rides without having to wait 40 minutes or an hour" he told the Orlando Sentinel.

On Monday, the Legoland Florida park opened in the city of Winter Haven, while SeaWorld in Orlando is scheduled to open on June 10. The largest of Orlando's parks, Walt Disney World, will open on July 11. That day the park's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom sections will begin operating, while EPCOT and Hollywood Studios will follow suit on July 15. Orlando is home to most of the state's theme parks and every year welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world.

Riyadh, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia on Friday announced a renewed lockdown in the city of Jeddah, gateway to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, to counter a new spike in coronavirus cases. "After reviewing the epidemiological situation and the high occupancy rates of intensive care departments, it was decided to take strict health precautions in the city of Jeddah for two weeks," starting from Saturday, the health ministry said. The measures include a curfew running from 3 pm to 6 am, a suspension of prayers in mosques and a stay-at-home order for public and private sector workers in the Red Sea city whose airport serves Mecca pilgrims.

After an easing of precautions in the kingdom in late May, the ministry said that strict measures could also soon return to Riyadh, which was "witnessing a continuous increase during the last days" of critical cases of the pandemic. Saudi Arabia has declared almost 96,000 coronavirus infections and 642 deaths from the Covid-19 respiratory disease, the heaviest toll in the Gulf. It has suspended the year-round "umrah" pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina over fears of the coronavirus pandemic spreading to Islam's holiest cities.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's hajj, scheduled for the end of July, but have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. Last year, some 2.5 million faithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to take part in the hajj, which all Muslims must perform at least once in their lives if able.

Dublin, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Ireland will dramatically accelerate its plan to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the coming days, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday. "Today I can confirm that it is safe to move to phase two of the plan to reopen our country starting on Monday," Varadkar told a press conference. "I'm also announcing an acceleration of the roadmap." More workplaces will open and household visits will be permitted from Monday in line with the government plan to reopen the Republic announced in May.

However an escalation of the scheme will see citizens allowed to travel across their county of residence and/or up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) from home. All shops will also be permitted to reopen whilst the final stage of the "roadmap" to end lockdown -- in place since 28 March -- will be brought forward from August to July. Playgrounds will reopen while the government now intends to allow hotels, restaurants and bars serving food to resume trade on June 29. "We are making progress, we are heading in the right direction, and we have earned the right to be hopeful about the future again," Varadkar said. Ireland has suffered 1,664 deaths from the coronavirus, according to official figures. Recorded deaths peaked at 77 in a single day in April, but by Thursday that figure had fallen to just five.

The Republic last Monday registered its first day without any COVID-19 deaths in more than two months, one week after entering the first phase of its plan to leave lockdown. "We've proved we can suppress the virus, but now we do face another test," said health minister Simon Harris. "We must prove we can live alongside it and keep it weak at the same time."

The easing includes provisions for shops to hold staggered opening hours and social distancing measures to remain in place. "We must remain careful, cautious vigilant, and together," Harris added. Finance minister Paschal Donohoe announced Friday that a government wage subsidy scheme enacted when the nation entered lockdown will be extended until the end of August. To date, 1.37 billion ($1.55 billion) euros has been paid to half a million employees. But he warned "this support cannot last forever" and he expected to see a continued decline in reliance on the scheme.

Quito, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - As much of Ecuador went into lockdown against the coronavirus, scientists shipped out of the Galapagos, leaving important research activity frozen and the Pacific archipelago's tourism in deep crisis. Authorities are desperately hoping for a revival of the vital tourism industry -- the main engine of the local economy -- once visitors are allowed to fly in again from July 1.

In the meantime, local officials say they have to take a leaf out of English naturalist Charles Darwin's book and "adapt to survive." Darwin based his theory of evolution on his studies of the islands' unique flora and fauna. But dozens of researchers following in his footsteps had to leave before air links were shut down as the pandemic advanced. "Science has to a large extent been paralyzed these days in the Galapagos," Diego Quiroga of Quito's San Francisco University told AFP.

Sixteen researchers of various nationalities from the university's Galapagos Science Center were repatriated along with 50 US students when Ecuador shut its borders, suspended flights and imposed strict restrictions on movement in mid-March. The move meant that the Galapagos was largely spared the devastating impact of the virus felt on the mainland. Ecuador, a country of 17 million, has more than 40,000 infections with 3,500 deaths. The Galapagos is the least affected of its provinces, with fewer than 80 infections among its 30,000 population.

- Research suspended -The 76 projects being carried out under the Center's auspices remain in limbo, and an international congress set to draw 200 scientists to the archipelago was canceled. The Charles Darwin Foundation, which has been operating on the islands for 60 years, had to shelve 20 research programs.

Around 30 of its scientists and volunteers who were carrying out field work "had to abandon their investigation sites," said Maria Jose Barragan, the foundation's CEO and science director. With them went "an important season of investigation into the reproductive cycle of birds" in the Galapagos, she said. The Galapagos National Park (PNG), a public body responsible for conservation of the archipelago, continues to operate.

- Adapting to less -The Charles Darwin Foundation fears, however, the long-term impact of the pandemic on future research. "I think the global picture for the conservation sector, regarding acquisition and availability of funds, will change becaus there will likely

be other interests" competing for funds, said Barragan. "We have to adapt, which is actually the principle of the theory of evolution: change and adapt," she said.

Galapagos Science Center head Carlos Mena says he does not believe "funding for science is decreasing, but yes, it will move to other sectors, such as economic rejuvenation or the study of diseases and viruses." As things stand, any freeze in research projects affects livelihoods on the archipelago. Mena says this will translate into almost a million dollars in lost revenue for 2020. "Science brings in revenue. It's not huge, not like tourism, but yes, it generates revenue."

In the months of lockdown, between March and May, the Galapagos -- which had more than 270,000 visitors last year -- lost $200 million in tourism revenue, according to the Provincial Chamber of Tourism. "The revenue is zero. There have been no tourists, therefore no admissions to the park, nor the economic revenue" they generate, said park director Andres Ordonez.

Mena believes tourism will come back stronger after the coronavirus, saying the work of researchers can "serve as a guide for better tourism" in the islands with their fragile ecosystems. "The Galapagos have always been considered as a laboratory for studying the evolution of species," he said. "We can also see them as a laboratory for building tourism or a better model of society than before the pandemic."

Rio de Janeiro, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Brazil's death toll from the novel coronavirus has surged to become the third-highest in the world, surpassing Italy's, according to official figures released Thursday. The South American country of 210 million people reported a new record of 1,473 deaths in 24 hours, bringing its overall toll to 34,021, from 614,941 infections, the health ministry said. Italy has confirmed 33,689 deaths from 234,013 infections.

Johannesburg, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - South Africa said Thursday it had recorded 3,267 novel coronavirus cases in 24 hours, the biggest jump since the pandemic hit the country. Africa's biggest industrial power now has a total of 40,792 infections, the health ministry said. It saw a rise of 56 deaths for a total of 848 fatalities. More than half of the cases are in the Western Cape region where health services are under pressure.

South Africa is the sub-Saharan African country hardest hit by the pandemic. President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 27 ordered South Africans to observe a lockdown aimed at slowing the disease's spread. The move sharply limited people's freedom of movement while slowing an economy already in recession. But Ramaphosa has gradually eased the lockdown measures and allowed most of the economy to restart.

Masks to be compulsory on public transport in England (from the 15th June!)
Disease SARS United Kingdom
- 19 hours ago

Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2020 18:41:36 +0200 (METDST)

London, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - Masks will be compulsory on public transport in England from next week to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, transport minister Grant Shapps said Thursday. "As of 15th June, face coverings will be mandatory on public transport," he said at a daily briefing on the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak. The government had previously advised people to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport but stopped short of making them compulsory. They remain only a recommendation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whose devolved administrations have responsibility for transport.

The announcement was made as part of plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England, as infection rates and the number of deaths from COVID-19 falls. A total of 39,904 people have died in the outbreak in Britain, according to the latest official figures, which is the second-highest toll in the world after the United States. "We need to ensure every precaution is taken on buses, trains, aircraft and on ferries," said Shapps, calling the use of face coverings a "condition of travel". Small children, the disabled and anyone with breathing difficulties would be exempt, he added. "We expect the vast majority won't need to be forced into this," he said, but warned that anyone refusing to do so could be prevented from travelling or even fined.

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - Rohingya refugees infected with coronavirus are fleeing quarantine in their Bangladesh camps because they fear being transferred to an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal, community leaders said Thursday. At least two infected refugees have gone missing since testing positive for the virus after the first COVID-19 death was reported Tuesday, they said.

About one million Rohingya -- most of whom fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 -- are packed into camps along the Bangladesh border, and the coronavirus has become the latest cause of misery. Aid agencies have long warned that the virus could cause chaos in the overcrowded camps, where social distancing is virtually impossible. So far only 29 infections have been detected, although 16,000 Rohingya are in quarantine zones within the camps.

It was not immediately clear how many tests have been conducted in the camps, but a senior health official said two people who proved positive had "fled the isolation hospital". He added that only 20 refugees agreed to be tested in the past two days because they believe those infected will be sent to Bhashan Char island in the Bay of Bengal. "It has created mass panic," Nurul Islam, a community leader, told AFP.

Bangladesh authorities have long wanted to establish a camp for 100,000 people on the isolated island, and have already sent 306 Rohingya there. "The Rohingya are petrified," the health official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We have told them they won't be sent anywhere."

Some 500 isolation beds have been prepared in the camps, but most are empty because so few confirmed cases have been found, according to the official. The first Rohingya fatality from the coronavirus was announced only Tuesday, and health officials say they desperately need to increase testing to see how widespread the virus may be. But Khalilur Rahman Khan, the government administrator of one camp block, said doctors told him refugees were reluctant to participate.

Several Rohingya leaders said the transfer of the 306 refugees to Bhashan Char had sparked rumours that anyone with coronavirus would be sent to join them. "People are scared to go for virus tests," said Abu Zaman, a community leader. Mohammad Shafi, a camp neighbour of the refugee whose death was announced Tuesday, said people who had coronavirus symptoms such as fever and aches insisted they only had seasonal flu. "I tried to reassure them that this a curable disease and most people will recover, but many don't believe it," he said.

Santiago, June 3, 2020 (AFP) - Chile's government said Wednesday it was prolonging a three-week shutdown of the country's capital Santiago as the COVID-19 death toll reached a new daily record. Health officials said 87 people had died in the previous 24 hours, and nearly 5,000 new infections were recorded. The South American copper-exporting nation has now registered more than 113,000 infections and 1,275 deaths.

Health Minister Jaime Manalich confirmed the government was extending a three-week lockdown of the capital for another week. The city is home to seven million of the country's 18 million population and produces half its GDP. Manalich said the population's mobility had only been reduced by 30 percent, because of a large numbers of permits granted to those needed for essential activities. "There are many permits," the minister said, warning that "for the quarantine to be effective, mobility needs to be reduced by at least 50 percent."

The minister appealed to people to minimize time spent outside of their homes to help reduce infections, especially in the coming weeks when emergency health services are expected to be operating at maximum capacity. Already in Santiago, 97 percent of intensive care unit beds are occupied, while units in the rest of Chile report having reached 88 percent capacity.